Ye Fan arrived at the bamboo building next door, where Zhao Tianya was tidying up her belongings.

Previously, Ye Fan had given her a storage bracelet, and she had brought some things herself, preparing to settle into her new home, thus becoming neighbors with Tantai Wanrong.

"What are you doing here?" Zhao Tianya glanced at Ye Fan, seemingly a bit angry, "You wouldn’t consider me one of your concubines, would you? You as the emperor, can come and visit me anytime without considering my personal will, right?"

Ye Fan shrugged and said, "Is that how you see me?"

"It wasn’t before, but now it’s hard to say. You’ve become so inflated that I almost don’t recognize you. Do you really think what you’re doing is right? Fine, anyway, I have no power to resist you. If you do that to me, I won’t resist, but I’ll definitely resolve to hate you..."

Zhao Tianya spoke harshly, but deep down she couldn’t truly hate Ye Fan, because what Ye Fan was doing was actually to protect her, although she felt this kind of protection was rather unnecessary.

"If that’s the case, I have nothing else to say!" Ye Fan said, "Just like you said, bringing you here wasn’t to reason with you. You know now, I absolutely won’t let you act recklessly and put yourself in danger, that’s irresponsible to yourself and also to me. Do you understand what I’m saying?"

Zhao Tianya gave Ye Fan a cold look, not saying much, as she felt it was futile to talk more with Ye Fan.

After bringing Zhao Tianya and Tantai Wanrong to the secret realm, Ye Fan intended to leave. He turned to leave, only to hear Zhao Tianya’s voice from behind: "What? Now you’re going to play the coward? Knowing I won’t forgive you, you don’t even dare to do what a man should do?"

Ye Fan turned back to look at Zhao Tianya, finding her somewhat laughable. Earlier, she used some words to threaten him, but now it seems she doesn’t actually have much resentment against him.

"Do you think your words will stop me from doing anything to you?" Ye Fan said coldly, "I sent you to the secret realm, so for now, I don’t need to do anything to you. Do you think I’ll miss you as a woman? Sometimes, don’t assume I’ll do something to you, your subjective assumptions have no effect on me. Tianya, take some time to think about our relationship during these days..."

Zhao Tianya angrily said, "What do you mean? Keep me captive here and make me think about my relationship with you? Hmph, you don’t call it captivity, how shameless can you be? Do you think I’ll forgive you?"

Ye Fan said, "This isn’t a prison, here you can go wherever you want, but you can’t leave the second layer of the secret realm. Even if you go to the ends of the earth in the second layer of the secret realm, that’s your own business. In the future, I won’t interfere with you!"

After speaking, Ye Fan left the bamboo building straightaway, even if Zhao Tianya stomped her feet in annoyance, it was to no avail. Ye Fan didn’t intend to have much pity for her, as he felt she was being rather unreasonable.

...

... 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Ye Fan returned directly to the Pan Gu secret realm.

He arrived at the side of the Sea of Death, where Sang Yuan and Dao Zhen were waiting for him. Even though Dao Zhen had returned to the secret realm, she dared not act rashly, knowing that Ye Fan now had control over the entire immortal realm. Ye Fan was holding the immortal realm and its immortals as hostages. She and some others had gained freedom, but compared to Ye Fan’s cultivation, they stood no chance; Ye Fan could kill them at any time.

"My lord, you’re back?" Sang Yuan hurriedly stepped forward to greet Ye Fan with a bow.

Ye Fan nodded slightly, glanced at Sang Yuan, and said, "Dao Zhen, now that you’re back in the secret realm, I want you to help me with something. Investigate the whereabouts of your Earth Origin Sect Master Ling; she disappeared around this area. Can you track her?"

Dao Zhen scrutinized Ye Fan, not really wanting to work for him, but knowing she was compelled to yield to him, or it would mean disaster for the immortal realm.

She closed her eyes and said, "I feel a fairly strong Earth Origin Sect cultivation, also disappeared around here. As for where that cultivation went after, I can’t track it at this time!"

Sang Yuan said coldly, "So you’re trying to brush off the young lord, hoping he’ll lose patience and kill you?"

Regarding Dao Zhen, Sang Yuan maintained a firm stance, afraid Dao Zhen’s arrival would affect her standing with Ye Fan.

In terms of cultivation, Dao Zhen was far superior to Sect Master Ling, even on par with Sang Yuan, perhaps even surpassing her. Though Sang Yuan had surpassed the ascension cultivation, she was created by the ancient cultivator Xuan Nu, ranking low among ancient cultivators.

Dao Zhen, however, had relatively high standing among human cultivators. In the entire immortal realm, those with a higher cultivation than Dao Zhen were few, but still incomparable to Ye Fan; the disparity in their cultivation was vast.

"I don’t know so I say I don’t know. Even if you kill me, I would only say the same!" Dao Zhen’s attitude was somewhat firm, "Tracking the Earth Origin Sect disciples to this point is all I can do. From here, only those self-proclaimed gods surpassing immortals might manage, don’t expect it from me!"

Ye Fan scrutinized Dao Zhen, knowing he could not trace Ling’s whereabout any further. To blame Dao Zhen would be unreasonable.

Ye Fan said, "If we can’t find her, then leave it for now. Sang Yuan, you head back to Sky City first. I’ll take her around to search the surroundings, you are not to disturb!"

One sentence filled Sang Yuan’s mind with vigilance; she didn’t want Ye Fan and Dao Zhen to have a chance to be alone. If Dao Zhen gained further favor with Ye Fan, Sang Yuan might be replaced by her.

But she couldn’t refuse Ye Fan’s order now. After bowing, she left towards Sky City with great reluctance.

After Sang Yuan left, Dao Zhen asked Ye Fan, "What exactly are you planning to do?"

"I’m not planning anything!" Ye Fan used elemental power to envelop Dao Zhen, "Since you can’t track her for now, I’ll take you around the Sea of Death to see if there are any clues. Now that I’ve reached ascension cultivation, if there’s any threat to me in the secret realm, it’s due to my inadequacy. I must eliminate unknown dangers completely, and you will be my assistant!"